Skirt-stretcher.



PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905'. G. F. KNOLLMANN. SKIRT STRETCHBR.

AIPLIOATION FILED APB-18.1905.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905.

G. F. KNOLLMANN. SKIRT STRETGHER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 18.1905

2 SHEBTSSHBET 2.

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UNITED STATES:

PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE F. KNOLLMANN, OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA.

' I SKlRT-STBETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1905.

Application filed April 18, 1905. Serial No. 256,183.

and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements inskirt-stretchers for dyers and cleaners use; and the object of theinvention is to produce a simple and efiicient device of this nature inwhich a skirt may be held in a stretched relation in case of itsbecoming shrunken.

The invention consists in various details of construction and incombinations and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fullydescribed and then specifically defined in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a detailperspective view of a part of the invention. Fig. 8 is a crosssectionalview on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a slightly modified form of theskirtstretcher. Fig. 5 is a bottom View of the modified form shown inFig. 4:. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view through theconstruction shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a sectional detail view.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A Adesignate standards rising from the base portions B, which are connectedtogether by means of crosspieces C. Blocks D are interposed between thestandards A, and a ratchet-bar E is secured vertically intermediate oneof the base portions B and a cross-piece or block D. A lever F ispivotally mounted at F upon a pin which is mounted in two of saidstandards,

and a pawl G is pivotally mounted upon said lever and adapted to engagethe teeth of said rack-bar.

O designates a cross-piece which has an eye-rod O passing through thesame and is connected to a post Q, (shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of thedrawings.) which post has notches Q in its opposite sides adapted to beengaged by the lower ends of the pivotal braces N,

which braces are pivoted at N to the crosspiece J, which is pivotallymounted upon said eye-rod 0. To the cross-piece O are hinged the twosemicircular shelves P, which have pivotally connected thereto a seriesof arms R, having rack-teeth R upon their upper surfaces. Mounted uponeach of said arms R is a sliding block S, with spurs or points Sprojecting from the outer edge thereof, and each of said blocks hassecured thereto the brackets T, each pair of which carries a pivotal pinT, upon which a'pawl Wis mounted, said pawl adapted to engage with theteeth R upon said arms. It will be observed that said blocks by means ofthe construction shown are adjustably held at different locations uponthe arms, accordingly as it may be desired to adapt the apparatus tohold skirts of diiferent sizes.

M is aform of substantially inverted conical shape and over which thewaist of a skirt is adapted to be fastened, the lower marginal edge ofthe skirt after being inverted being adapted to be caught over the spursor points S upon the blocks S. The form M has an eye-rod 11. secured toits bottom, and which is connected to an eye M upon a collar M, carriedby the lever F. In order to afford means to hold the entirecircumference of the lower edge of the skirt, I provide the blocks V,which are fastened to the cross-piece O and are provided with points orspurs V, similar to those shown as attached to the blocks S.

In Fig. 4: is shown a slightly-modified form of apparatus in which thestrips M are pivot ally mounted upon a ring M and their lower ends areadjustably held in the slots m in the disk m the lower ends of saidstrips carrying screws upon which the thumb-nuts m are mounted.

Referring to Fig. 7 there will be seen means for folding the hingedsections S if desired, when not in use.

In applying a skirt to my stretcher the waist portion is fitted over theform M and the lower marginal edge of the skirt caught over the pointsor spurs upon the blocks S, said blocks being adjustably held upon thearms in order to hold the skirt in the proper shape, after whichpressure may be applied cross-piece J to be turned from underneath saidshelves, as will be readily understood.

From the foregoing it will be observed that A after the skirt has beenadjusted to the blocks the cross-piece 0 may be removed from thestandard by detaching the lower end of the rod from the collar L, and itmay be hung' up by means of the eye in the upper end of the rod when itis desired to stretch another" Having thus fully described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A skirt-stretcher comprisingastandard,

a lever pivotally mounted thereon, a rack-bar, a pawl carried by saidlever and adapted to engage the teeth of said rack-bar, a series of 1pivotal arms supported above said lever, j blocks with spurs thereonadjustably held upon said arms, a form, and connections between the sameand said lever, as set forth.

2. A skirt-stretcher comprising a standard, a lever pivotally mountedthereon, a pawl carried by said lever, a form secured to said lever, astationary rack-bar engaged by said pawl, a cross-piece mounted uponsaid standard, pivotal arms connected to said c-rosspiece, adjustableblocks mounted upon said arms, spurs upon said blocks, as set forth.

3. A skirt-stretching apparatus comprising a standard, a leverpivotallymounted thereon,

skirt-holding blocks adjustably held upon said arms, as set forth.

4. Askirt-stretching apparatus comprising as'tandard, a lever pivotallymounted thereon, a pawl carried by said lever, a form secured to saidlever, a rack-bar having teeth engaged by said pawl, a cross-piecesupported by the standard, shelves hinged to said cross-piece, arm'spivotally mounted upon said shelves, ratohet teeth upon the upper facesof said arms, biocks adjustably held upon said arms and provided withspurs, pawls carried by said blocks and engaging the teeth of said arms,as set forth.

5. A skirt-stretching apparatus comprising a standard, a lever pivotallymounted thereon, a pawl carried by said lever, a form secured to saidlever, a rack-bar having teeth engaged by said pawl, across-piecesupported by the standard, shelves hinged to said cross-piece, armspivotally mounted upon said shelves, ratchet-teeth upon the upper facesof said arms, blocks adjus-ta'bly held upon said arms and provided withspurs, p'a'wls carried by said blocks and engaging the teeth of saidarms, and -'a rotatable shelf-supporting crosspieee mounted upon saidrod, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE KNOLLMANN.

Witnesses:

HARVEY O. WEBER, AUG. J. WEBER.

